A contact device or, resp., connecting means is known, for example, from document DE 203 05 313 U1, the connecting means being designed for providing a detachable plug-in connection between power rails. The known connecting means includes a specific contact spring having opposing contact tongues so that a contact zone is formed between the contact tongues. The contact tongues are surrounded at their sides facing away from each other by free ends of a super-spring and are appropriately resiliently forced toward each other. Between the opposing contact tongues another contact element such as the power rail or a plug may be inserted. The contact is formed between the contact tongues and the inserted plug means.
Document DE 196 00 189 A1 discloses a contact element for tab connector elements, wherein the contact element is substantially made of a stamped sheet part which is U-shaped and includes a bottom wall as well as side walls integrally formed with the bottom wall and spaced in parallel. The two side walls comprise contact spring arms by which a contact point is formed. Furthermore, in the bottom wall a tensile blocking element is provided, the tensile blocking element constituting a tensile direction stop for appropriate tab connector elements in the direction against the plug-in direction. The contact element is adapted to compensate for plug-in tolerances and mounting tolerances and exhibits oscillation-compensating characteristics.
Finally the document DE 10 2004 050 715 B3 discloses a contact element for electrically contacting two connectors, wherein the contact element on one side includes connectors by which the contact element is fastened to a base element. On the other side, between formed contact tongues plug elements or power rails can be inserted to be easily detachable. So as to dampen mounting tolerances and oscillations, between the fastening portion and the contact tongues a connecting member is arranged which exhibits oscillation-compensating characteristics due to its geometric design and length of extension so that the contact is prevented from detaching even in the case of oscillations between the base element to which the contact element is fastened and the contact tongues and, resp., the inserted plug element.
The afore-described known devices are directed, in alia, to the provision of a safe contact of the plug means in the contact tongues, wherein the safe contact is to be ensured even in the case of mounting tolerances and especially in case oscillations occur. This relates in particular to oscillations between a particular contact means and a plug means to be inserted into the contact means.
The contact element known from document DE 10 2004 050 715 B3 has an appropriate elastic portion, wherein there is the problem, however, that when inserting or removing a respective plug means (a plug element) forces are exerted on the entire arrangement of the contact element so that, irrespective of any elasticity of the material, deformation of the contact element cannot be excluded. Furthermore, due to the elastic characteristics of particular parts of a contact element the contact element or plug elements to be inserted cannot be imperatively guided in a precise manner during assembly.